Chinese film firm eyes San Francisco

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The Chinese film production company Fu Feng Da is deciding between San Francisco and Los Angeles for its U.S. office.

A successful China-based film production company is considering opening up an office in San Francisco, which could boost The City’s tech reputation and its film industry.

Founded in 2004, Fu Feng Da, which specializes in 3-D conversions and special effects, has set its sights on San Francisco for a possible expansion as it looks to partner with American filmmakers.

San Francisco isn’t the only city in the running, however. The company is said to be considering locating either here or in Los Angeles.

Company leaders recently met with the San Francisco Film Commission and ChinaSF to discuss the enterprise.

“It’s in the early stages,” said Dennis Conaghan, executive director of the San Francisco Center for Economic Development, which partners with ChinaSF. “Sometimes these things change overnight.”

An advantage to being located in San Francisco is that The City has a “creative workforce,” and operating here would put Fu Feng Da in close proximity to filmmaker George Lucas’ digital empire in the Presidio and Pixar, the Emeryville-based computer animation film studio, Conaghan said.

Film Commission Executive Director Susannah Robbins has met with the company, which plans to make a return visit in the next three to six months. She said when Fu Feng Da returns, it hopes to connect with people the company could do business with in the area.

“Fu Feng Da continues to challenge high-tech fields and is committed to leading technology development. Our main point of development is to arm culture with science and technology,” the company’s website says.

ChinaSF was established in 2008 to help boost the local economy by attracting China-based companies. As of January, it has helped 13 firms establish a U.S. presence in the Bay Area.

jsabatini@sfexaminer.com

The Chinese film production company Fu Feng Da is deciding between San Francisco and Los Angeles for its U.S. office.